On July 26, 2024, Boar’s Head Provisions Co. issued a recall on all liverwurst and other meat products produced on the same line. Later, on July 30, the recall was extended to include 71 products. The reason given for the recall was contamination by Listeria Monocytogenes. So far, 10 people have died and a total of 59 have been hospitalized over 19 states in direct connection with the contaminated meat. The Center for Disease Control states that “The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.” The outbreak was tied to a Boar’s Head processing Plant in Jarratt, VA.
Problems at the Jarratt plant began two years before the deadly 2024 outbreak. In 2022, USDA inspectors described the conditions at Boar’s Head to be an “imminent threat”. Inspectors found rust, mold, insects, and garbage in the facility, but no cautionary actions were taken by the USDA at this time. The most recent report from Aug. 1 2023 to Aug. 2 2024 period, contains harrowing descriptions of the unsanitary conditions at the plant, preceding the ongoing outbreak. This 44 page document entails a whopping total of 69 noncompliances by the Jarratt plant. One section of the USDA report from Au. 3 2023 describes a hydraulic pump containing “heavily discolored meat buildup” and “obvious odor”. Another entry from July 10 2024 details gnat like insects crawling on walls with heavy meat buildup and flying around the facility. Other infractions include – lines of crawling ants, roaches, pools of blood, mold and mildew, puddles with algal growth, and meat pieces strewn over the floor.
This is not the first time the Jarratt plant has been on the wrong side of regulators. In 1998, the EPA successfully sued Boar’s Head for failing to submit proper reports on the storage of hazardous chemicals at the Jaratt plant. Boar’s Head was made to pay a $34,450 penalty for the infractions. Then again in 2014, the Jarratt plant was in crosshairs with the EPA, this time for not properly reporting a sodium hydroxide leak.
In the aftermath of the discovery and in the midst of the ongoing outbreak, Boar’s Head has indefinitely closed the Jarratt processing plant and said that liverwurst will be permanently discontinued. While this may seem like just a simple facility shutdown, it leaves the 500 workers at the plant without jobs, even though Boar’s Head is offering severance packages and relocation. Per the residents of Jarratt, VA Boar’s Head was not only a major employer in their small town, but the best paying job available. Local businesses have felt the effects of the mass layoffs, stating that they are experiencing a slower flow of customers.
The CDC has built a dedicated webpage to the Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak on their website. They include up to date information on the timeline and locations of the ongoing event. The CDC offers the following helpful tips on keeping yourself Listeria-free.
- Do not eat recalled meats. Throw them away or contact stores about returns.
- Check your refrigerator for any recalled deli meats and throw them away or return them to the store. Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator.
- Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched recalled meats.
